Golf ball retrieval and storage device

ABSTRACT

An improved golf ball retrieval and storage device comprised of an elongated handle, a rigid loop mounted at one end of the handle, a bag mounted on the loop, the bag having a narrow open mouth mounted on and held open by the rigid loop, the bag also having an enlarged storage portion and a restricted neck between the mouth and enlarged storage portion, an arm rest provided on the upper end of the elongated handle, the handle being detachable and in sections small enough to fit into the bag, the rigid loop being stirrup-shaped with the flat side locating opposite the loop&#39;&#39;s connection to the elongated handle, the flat side of the loop having a length several times the diameter of a U.S. golf ball.

O United States Patent 51 3,663,049

' James [4 1 May 16, 1972 54] GOLF BALL RETRIEVAL AND FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS STORAGE DEVICE 628,850 10/1961 Canada ..294/19 R [72] Inventor: Clifford Neil James, 300 West Bagley Rd., l

- Primary Exammer-Evon C. Blunk Berea, OhIo 44017 Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry [22] Filed: Aug. 25, 1970 AttorneyMcCoy, Greene & Howell [21] Appl. No.: 66,685 [57] ABSTRACT An improved golf ball retrieval and storage device comprised [52] US. Cl. ..294/19 A, 294/ 1 R, 294/55 of an elongated handle a rigid loop mounted at one end ofthe "A47f13/06 handle, a bag mounted on the loop, the bag having a narrow Field of Search R, 19 A, 52 open mouth mounted on and held open by the rigid loop, the 56/ 332 bag also having an enlarged storage portion and a restricted neck between the mouth and enlarged storage portion, an arm [56] References Cited rest provided on the upper end of the elongated handle, the handle being detachable and in sections small enough to fit UNITED STATES PATENTS into the bag, the rigid loop being stirrup-shaped with the flat side locating opposite the loops connection to the elongated 2,690,044 9/1954 Aycock ..56/328 R handle the flat side of the loop having a length several times 3,117,814 1/1964 Webb ..294/19 A the diameter Ofa golf ha 2,135,232 11/1938 Dawn ..294/19A 1,748,835 2/1930 Everitt ..294/52 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 1 6 I972 13. 663 O49 IN VENTOR.

C NEIL L/A MES A TTOPNzEYS GOLF BALL RETRIEVAL AND STORAGE DEVICE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a golf ball retriever and storage device.

Golfers frequently practice by successively hitting a large number of golf balls at a practice area. At the end of the practice session, the golfer, or some other person, must retrieve the golf balls by picking them up off the ground. Many times after retrieving the golf balls the golfer will continue practicing his golf shots by again hitting these golf balls and retrieving them. With a large number of golf balls the retrieval becomes quite laborious, as the person must repeatedly bend over and pick up each individual golf ball.

A number of retrievers have previously been available for retrieving golf balls without stooping, by providing a generally elongated handle which may be gripped by one or both hands of the user and a tubular capturing means with an open lower end which is positioned immediately over a golf ball to capture the golf ball on downward movement of the retriever. Certain of these conventional retrievers additionally are storage devices, in that their tube is sufficiently long to hold a number of golf balls before it is necessary to empty the tube. Also, some conventional devices have a storage bag at the upper end of the tube so that the golf balls collected in the tube are forced out the upper end of the tube into the bag.

A primary deficiency in conventional retriever and storage devices is that they require the tubular capturing means to be positioned immediately and vertically above a golf ball to be captured before downward pressure'is applied to the device to capture the ball. Thus, the user must lift the device above the golf ball and carefully align the tubular collecting means directly above the ball and then apply a downward force on the device to capture the ball. If the tubular capturing means is not directly and vertically above a golf ball when the downward force is applied, the golf ball is not captured but propelled away from the user by the force applied. Thus, since independant and exact alignment is required for each ball, the retrieval of a large number of balls can require a considerable amount oftime.

The lower opening of tubular capture devices generally are provided with some resilient means which is smaller in diameter than a single golf ball. When the user applies downward force the resilient means expands permitting the ball to pass, whereafter it returns to its original diameter which is smaller than the ball and therefore retains the golf ball. The resilient capturing means tends to wear out relatively quickly which shortens the effective life of the device. Further deficiencies include that, as the device collects a large number of golf balls it becomes heavier and unbalanced and more difficult to lift and properly align above a golf ball.

Conventional devices are also large and, therefore, difficult to store, i.e., in a locker at a golfcourse, club or school.

The improved golf ball retrieval and storage device of my invention overcomes the above problems of prior devices and comprises an elongated handle with a rigid loop at one end and a bag with an enlarged storage portion and a relatively small mouth. The mouth of the bag is mounted on the loop, so that the loop holds the bag mouth open to receive golf balls. The user drags the bag along the ground up to one or more golf balls and then swings the loop at the ball or balls. The balls pass through the loop into the bag. The balls collect in the enlarged end of the bag and will not come out of the bag in normal use. Since the loop is larger than one golf ball, and is preferably from about two to four golf balls wide, no great care is required to pick up a ball and several balls lying close together on the ground may be picked up at the same time. In addition, when a ball is being picked up, the bag rests on the ground so that the golfer does not need to lift the full bag each time another ball is picked up.

In addition, the handle is detachable and sectioned so that it may be taken apart and stored in the bag, the entire device then being small enough to fit into a very small locker.

Furthermore, when picking up a ball with the present device, the golfer uses a wrist motion which tends to strengthen the golfers arm and wrist in a manner beneficial to his golf game.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved golf ball retriever and storage device which retrieves and stores golf balls rapidly without requiring exact alignment of the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a single hand operated golf ball retriever which may capture more than one golf ball with each operational movement of the device and therefore allow the user to retrieve and store a large number of golf balls in less time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for retrieving and storing golf balls operated with a swing motion tending to strengthen the golfers arm and wrist muscles in a manner beneficial to his golf game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for retrieving and storing golf balls of sturdy construction that will withstand continued use and can be inexpensively manufactured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for retrieving and storing golf balls which may be disassembled, all parts being storable in the bag along with the golf balls and, therefore, is self-contained and easily storagable in a small locker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a user manipulating the golf ball retrieving and storage device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded front view of the device showing how the device is assembled.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the device disassembled and stored in the bag.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 the golf ball retrieving and storing device 1 being manipulated by a user to pick up golf balls 2. The golf ball retrieving and storing device 1 has an elongated handle 3 which is adapted to be held by the user at the upper end. A rigid loop extends from the lower end of the handle.

The rigid loop 4 defines the golf ball retrieving entrance and has a diameter larger than a golf ball to permit a golf ball to pass through the golf ball entrance.

The bag 5 mounted on the rigid loop has an enlarged storage portion 6 and an open mouth 7. The diameter of the bag mouth 7 is narrow relative to the diameter of the enlarged storage portion 6. The bag is mounted on the rigid loop 4 at the bag mouth 7 with the loop 4 holding the bag mouth 7 open. The loop 4 is a rod formed into a loop with the edge of the bag mouth 7 wrapped around and secured thereto.

The user or golfer 8 holding the handle 3 at the upper end may pick up a golf ball 2 on the ground by swinging the loop toward he ball 2. The loop 4 will pass beneath the golf ball 2 and the golf ball will pass into the bags enlarged storage portion 6. With a long swinging motion, a user 8 can capture many golf balls in one movement.

As shown in FIG. 2 the loop 4 has a relatively straight portion 9 opposite its connection to the handle. It has been found that a length of the straight portion 9 in the range between about two and four times the diameter of a standard U.S. regulation golf ball (which is about 1.680 inches in diameter) is easiest to manipulate and is preferred. The rigid loop 4 is roughly stirrup-shaped having a minimum height greater than the diameter of a golf ball.

The golf ball retrieving and storing device 1 is also provided with an armresting portion 10 made of plastic or other suitable material mounted on the handle 3 at the upper end. The armrest 10 is mounted facing the same direction as the open bag mouth 7 but at the opposite end of the handle. The user 8 grips after collecting 35 to 50 golf balls.

As is shown in FIG. 3 the bag has a restricted neck 11 adjacent to the loop 4 between the enlarged storage portion 6 and the bag mouth 7. The restricted neck 11 has a diameter smaller than the diameter .of the bag mount 7 held open by the loop 4. The diameter of the opening of the restricted neck 11 is greater than one golf ball and less than two golf balls. This diameter permits a golf ball to pass easily and quickly into the enlarged storage portion 6 without clogging in the bag mouth The enlarged storage portion 6 has a diameter substantially greater than the bag mouth 7 and the restricted neck 11. A storage portion 6 to hold 35 to 50 golf balls has been found to be most effective. This capacity is larger than most of the conventional devices. The size of the enlarged storage portion 6 may, of course, vary.

The enlarged storage portion 6 may be provided with a zipper 12 or other means for retaining and emptying the golf balls from the storage portion 6. The preferred embodiment has the zipper 12 on the top of the storage portion 6 preventing the zipper 12 from picking up foreign material and sticking.

As is shown in FIG. 4, the device I is self-storing. The device 1 can be disassembled and easily stored. The handle 3 is threaded and detachable from the loop 4. As is shown in FIG. 2, the handle 3 is made of a plurality of detachable sections, 3a, 3b and 3c, each of the sections 3a, 3b, and 30 having a length not substantially greater than the length of the bag 5, so that the handle can be disassembled and put in the bag for easy storage as shown in FIG. 4.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A golf ball retrieving and storing device comprising an elongate removable handle adapted to be held by the user at the upper end, a wire rod shaped to provide a flattened stirrup-shaped loop and bent to form means at the top of the loop for detachably connecting said loop to the lower end of said handle, said loop being elongated in a direction generally perpendicular tothe handle and having a length several times the diameter of a golf ball and a height greater than the diameter of said ball, a flexible drapable bag having an enlarged storage portion to receive a large number of golf balls, a flexible neck portion to guide the balls into said storage portion, and an open mouth portion mounted on'said stirrup-shaped loop so that a user holding said handle may easily pick up a golf ball on the groundby swinging said loop and said bag toward said ball, said neck portion being restricted to avoid accidental movement of the golf balls out of said storage portion, said removable handle having a length several times the length of said bag.

2. A golf ball retrieving device as defined in claim 1 wherein said loop has a length several times its width and said neck is formed of a pliable fabric and tapers inwardly from the sides of said loop to form a restricted opening with a width less than that of two golf balls.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a plurality of detachable sections, each having a length not substantially greater than the length of said bag so that said sections may be disassembled and stored in said bag.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle is sub- 7 stantially straight and an arm rest is mounted on said handle at the end opposite said bag and facing the same direction as said bag mouth, said arm rest being adapted to rest against the user's forearm when gripping said handle during normal use.

I 5. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a series of detachable sections, each having an externally threaded lower end portion one of said sections having an upper end portion with an internally threaded hole to receive the externally threaded lower end portion of another handle section, and wherein said bag comprises an imperforate cloth bag having a slide fastener to facilitate removal of balls from said storage portion. 

1. A golf ball retrieving and storing device comprising an elongate removable handle adapted to be held by the user at the upper end, a wire rod shaped to provide a flattened stirrupshaped loop and bent to form means at the top of the loop for detachably connecting said loop to the lower end of said handle, said loop being elongated in a direction generally perpendicular to the handle and having a length several times the diameter of a golf ball and a height grEater than the diameter of said ball, a flexible drapable bag having an enlarged storage portion to receive a large number of golf balls, a flexible neck portion to guide the balls into said storage portion, and an open mouth portion mounted on said stirrup-shaped loop so that a user holding said handle may easily pick up a golf ball on the ground by swinging said loop and said bag toward said ball, said neck portion being restricted to avoid accidental movement of the golf balls out of said storage portion, said removable handle having a length several times the length of said bag.
 2. A golf ball retrieving device as defined in claim 1 wherein said loop has a length several times its width and said neck is formed of a pliable fabric and tapers inwardly from the sides of said loop to form a restricted opening with a width less than that of two golf balls.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a plurality of detachable sections, each having a length not substantially greater than the length of said bag so that said sections may be disassembled and stored in said bag.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle is substantially straight and an arm rest is mounted on said handle at the end opposite said bag and facing the same direction as said bag mouth, said arm rest being adapted to rest against the user''s forearm when gripping said handle during normal use.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a series of detachable sections, each having an externally threaded lower end portion, one of said sections having an upper end portion with an internally threaded hole to receive the externally threaded lower end portion of another handle section, and wherein said bag comprises an imperforate cloth bag having a slide fastener to facilitate removal of balls from said storage portion. 